Sustainable Agriculture
Research show that, about 60% of land in Sub-Sahara Africa is uncultivated (TPSF report 2017). Tanzania’s economy depends mostly on agricultural sector. About 80 percent of Tanzanians depend on subsistence agriculture as a major economic activity. Research on agriculture show that, of 80% participants in agriculture youths constitute only 14%. It is known that only 2 percent of arable land in Tanzania is cultivated organically. Regarding the paramount of agriculture to the community, and more specifically to youth economic development, NYDT established organic farming project centre popularly known as incubation Centre. NYDT also developed the kilimo bila shamba Programme. This is a simple sac gardening to improve household vegetable consumption and income generation.
Our main concern here is the promotion of improved food security at house-hold level. The program includes training at a level of on-farm and off-farm, farm technologies, training households on simple home gardening (kilimo bila shamba) provision of agro– Inputs and loan extension. The activities range from crop and soil fertilities management to animal husbandry. The introduction of organic farming concept is a significant component in our intervention to small farming communities.
Formation of farmers’ clusters.
Other efforts in integrating agriculture and forestry are formation of Farmers’ clusters (cassava, beans, tomato etc), information sharing among members of NYDT and farmers on agricultural opportunities like markets within and beyond Tanzania. These opportunities which are communicated to the youth groups include the available loans from various financial institutions for agroforestry activities, markets for some crops, quality improvement of products, post-harvest management and the need to develop processing centres.
Our main concern here is the promotion of improved food security at house-hold level. The program includes training at a level of on-farm and off-farm, farm technologies, training households on simple home gardening (kilimo bila shamba) provision of agro– Inputs and loan extension. The activities range from crop and soil fertilities management to animal husbandry. The introduction of organic farming concept is a significant component in our intervention to small farming communities.